intel_lid

intel_lid

Note: This command typically takes no options or arguments.

intel_lid is a specialized diagnostic utility primarily used to query the current lid (clamshell) status on systems equipped with Intel graphics hardware. It belongs to the drm-intel-utils collection, a suite of tools designed for debugging and interacting with the Intel Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) driver. The command serves to verify if the system correctly detects the lid's open or closed state, which is fundamental for power management functionalities such as suspending the system when the lid is shut. This tool is typically utilized by developers, system administrators, or power management engineers to diagnose issues related to ACPI events and lid state transitions, rather than for routine end-user interaction. Its output is concise, usually presenting a simple "open" or "closed" string, indicating the detected state. It directly interacts with the kernel's DRM subsystem to retrieve this hardware-level information.

The intel_lid command is specifically designed for systems with Intel graphics and relies on the Intel DRM driver being active.
It is primarily a diagnostic and debugging tool for low-level system behavior, not intended for general user use or scripting system power management directly, which is typically handled by higher-level services like systemd-logind.
Executing intel_lid may require root privileges or membership in a specific group (e.g., video, render) to access DRM devices, depending on system configuration and permissions.

The command outputs a simple, single line string indicating the detected lid state, which will be either "open" or "closed".

The intel_lid utility is part of the drm-intel-utils project, which has evolved alongside the development of the Intel Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) driver in the Linux kernel. Its purpose has consistently been to provide a direct, low-level way to query the lid state, serving as a valuable tool for driver developers and system integrators to verify correct hardware interaction and ACPI event processing related to the lid.

acpi_listen(1), systemctl(1), xrandr(1), dmesg(1)